It's easy to assign blame when it comes to our collective weight gain. Poor food choices, sedentary lifestyles, overindulgence, lack of sleep, etc. But what if there was something else going on? Something far less obvious as the reasons mentioned? It turns out there may be.

A recent study, published in International Journal Obesity, found that certain viruses and bacteria may also play a role in weight gain. Specifically, these microscopic belly expanders may affect our ability to absorb nutrients from food and influence hormones that regulate appetite and metabolic rate. In separate studies, researchers discovered that overweight people tend to have more of these particular types of viruses than fitter people, suggesting that a link between the two variables is not outside the realm of possibility.

Does this mean that viruses are solely to blame for the girth of our nation? I wouldn't exactly make that leap just yet. I think the aforementioned reasons -- poor food choices, sedentary lifestyles, etc. -- are far more likely to be causing us to run out of belt notches. Still, it's an interesting theory, certainly one that merits further investigation.